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A patent is an intellectual residence proper that provides the holder, not an working appropriate, but a correct patenting an idea to prohibit the use by a third celebration of the patented invention, from a particular date and for a restricted patent office duration (normally 20 many years).

Some nations could at the time of registration situation a "provisional patent" and may possibly grant a "grace time period" of a single yr which avoids the invalidity of the patent to an inventor who disclosed his invention before filing a patent in a non-confidential basis with the benefit of making it possible for quick dissemination of technical data although reserving the industrial exploitation of the invention. Based on the country, the first "inventor" or the very first "filer" has priority to the patent.

The patent is valid only in a provided territory. As a result, the patent remains nationwide. It is achievable to file a patent application for a specified nation (INPI for France, the USPTO for the U.S., JPO for Japan), or a group of countries (with the EPO for 38 European nations, filing a PCT application for the 142 signatories of the Treaty). Therefore, a patent application may cover numerous nations.

In return, the invention must be disclosed invention ideas to the public. In practice, patents are immediately published 18 months after the priority date, that is to say, soon after the very first filing, except in special cases.

To be patentable, in addition to the truth that it must be an "invention", an invention must also meet 3 crucial criteria.

1. It have to be new, that is to say that nothing at all equivalent has ever been accessible to the public understanding, by any signifies whatsoever (written, oral, use. ), and anywhere. It also need to not match the content of a patent that was filed but not nevertheless published.

2. It should have inventive step, that is to say, it can not be evident from the prior artwork.

3. It need to have industrial application, that is to say, it can be employed or produced in any sort of business, such as agriculture (excluding functions of art or crafts, for example).

When a firm believes that its competitors are unlikely to discover one of its secrets and techniques during the period of coverage of any patent, or that the firm would not be capable to detect infringement or enforce its rights, it can pick not to file, which carries a threat and a benefit.

The risk: If a competitor finds the exact same procedure and obtains a patent on it, the organization could be prohibited to use his own invention ( the French law and American law differ on this point, a single considering the proof at the date of discovery, and the other at the date of publication). French law also involves a so-called exception of "prior individual possession" for a particular person who can demonstrate that the alleged invention was certainly infringed previously in its possession prior to the filing date of the patent application. In such situation, operation would only be ready to proceed for that man or woman on the French territory.

The advantage: If there is no patent, the technique is not published and for that reason the business can expect to continue operation in theory indefinitely (However in practice, an individual will probably uncover the notion one particular day, but the duration of safety might finish up longer in complete). This technique of trade secret and consequently non- patenting is employed in some cases by the chemical market.